Bringing OCOP products to the world market

7 years ago, Nguyen Ngoc Huong, a young girl from Cu Chi district, Ho Chi Minh City, decided to open a farm in her hometown to grow pennywort and try processing pennywort powder. This was a bold decision because, at that time, not many people thought about getting rich from pennywort and pennywort powder from this vegetable.

After successful testing, Huong decided to promote the commercialization of her product. First of all, she established Viet Nature Import-Export Co., Ltd in 2016.

In 2017 and 2018, Huong promoted the consumption of pennywort powder in the domestic market. The company's products have found a foothold in the market and are increasingly attracting the attention of consumers. From 300-350 products sold per month, the sale increased to 400-500 products/per month. The scale of production has also been expanded with a total area of 200 ha in Cu Chi district (HCMC) and Tien Giang province.

In addition to pennywort powder, Viet Nature has diversified its products with many other vegetables and leaves such as perilla, lettuce, moringa, and lotus leaf... These powders are all healthy foods. Lotus leaf powder helps to treat insomnia, and reduce cholesterol; celery powder helps to lose weight, and lower blood pressure; Centella Asiatica powder helps to clear heat, clear alcohol quickly…

The year 2019 marked an important step in the development of Viet Nature. In November of that year, Nguyen Ngoc Huong's project "Processing leafy vegetable powders by cold drying and low-heat grinding method" surpassed 225 other projects to win the First prize in the Rural Youth Creative Startup Project Contest 2019. Huong's instant vegetable powder is highly appreciated because it is produced by cold-drying sterilization technology, keeping the original flavor and natural color of vegetables intact. In addition, the vegetable powder is ground with a granite mortar, so it will feel soft to the touch, reaching the level of being able to dissolve in water easily.

Also in November 2019, Viet Nature successfully exported the first shipment of vegetable powder to the Netherlands, thereby opening the door to the EU market. This is one of the most demanding markets in the world. Since then, Viet Nature has maintained regular exports to this market, and at the same time expanded to many other markets such as the US, Japan, Korea, India, Taiwan, and Singapore...

Many products of Viet Nature's instant vegetable powder are Orama sugar-free pennywort powder, perilla powder, lettuce powder, lotus leaf powder, and moringa powder. They have been recognized by Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to meet the 4-star OCOP standard. Which, pennywort powder with Orama sugar is in the process of being approved and recognized for a 5-star OCOP rating. This is the only product approved by Ho Chi Minh City to request MARD's evaluation, classification, and recognition as a national 5-star OCOP product.

Nguyen Ngoc Huong shared that having OCOP certification helps the company's products to be strongly promoted, and connected. This also helps promotes domestic and foreign trade. This is an opportunity for OCOP products, including the vegetable powders of Viet Nature, to promote exports to the international market. However, in order to export to foreign countries, besides the quality and design, meeting the needs of consumers... OCOP products need to meet the food safety standards of the markets. Viet Nature's vegetable powder products, in order to be exported to Europe, America,..., must meet the standards of these markets.

Viet Nature is one of the subjects participating in the OCOP program that has succeeded in exporting to foreign countries. But many other OCOP producers are still confused about bringing their products to domestic and foreign markets.

Mr. Vu Ba Phu, Director of the Trade Promotion Agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade), said that in 2022, this Ministry organized many market information consultation sessions. The Ministry focuses on providing export market information so that OCOP products can keep pace with market needs.

Mr. Phu said that the subjects participating in the OCOP program must produce the products that the market needs, not the products that the village has. They also need to catch up with market trends in the fastest and most effective way. Only then can new products reach the market and be exported.